Sheet-feeding machine



l E. WOODBURY.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9,1920v 4 SHEETSSHEET I.

Eatent/sfi Apr. 5, 1921.,

Sywmdoz J. wfiousmm SHEET FEEDING nmams.

I APPLICATION HMO JULY 9, E926. LEWLILSQQ Patenijed Apr. 5 ,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0 02a 7%JZ I J. E. woonsum', SHEET FEEDING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, I920.

ma/ i A Guamg J. E. WOODBURY.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9.1920.

1,3?4,} 139, Patented Apr. 5, 1921,.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4 INVENTOR 6703/6 ZZVZadagy jw w I ATTORNEYS v .J T ATES JOHN E. woonsnnr, or wononsrnn, iaassacnnsnrrs.

SHEET-FEEDING Specification of Letters Patent.

wield d Apr. diner.

Qriginal application filed October 26, 1916, Serial No 127,360. VDivided and this application filed July 9 1920. Serial No. 295,107. r 1

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JoI-INE. l'VooDnUnY, a citizen of the Unitec States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of hlassachnsetts, have invented a new and useful Sheetl eeding Machine, oiwhich the following is a specification.

This is a division oil my application for patent on automatic delivery for a di press, filed Oct. 26, 1916, Serial No. 127,960;

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a. practical sheet feeding machine which can he applied'to die printing presses of the type in which the die is inked and wiped automatically, andwhich can be used eventually as a. link in a system in which sheets shall be fed mechanically to a machine oi? this type and then taken tron-i it and placed inracks or the like, making; automatic the entire routine operation oi producing die stainped sheets, as for example letter headings; to provide for keeping the sheets separate, is necessary in this class oi. printing; to provide feed grippers which will'ipositively snap on and off, ren'iainingr locked in. either position; to provide a novelcombination of these and other features of the machine, including side and end registers, and means for feeding the sheets into the press, so as to necessitate the performance of the various functions in a. positive and accurate manner throughout the operation of the machine.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyinndrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view oi a feeding device constructed in accordance with this invention and adapted to be applied to an ordinarv die press detachably;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on-the line 22 of Fi 4:, showing the parts in another position; 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the parallel line in Fig. 4, showing the parts in a third position; p 7

Fig. 4!; is a sectional plan. on the line .44: of Fig.- 2, showing the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2; n r V v Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the feeding-in gripper from the inside, and

Fig. 6 is a plan of part of the connections for operating the carriage.

Although cylinder and platen presses and similar types of printing machines are often provided with mechanical feeding devices, the die press of the above mentioned type is of such a nature that it is always fed by hand in practice and thesheets taken from it in the same manner, so that each sheet has to be handled twice by the operator. This is due to several reasons. On account of the very high pressure used in the printing, the press itself has to be of a heavy massive ouild, whichreduces the opportiinity to place the sheetin register andto hold it in place, and very much restrictsthe pos sible paths that the sheet may take in the operations of feeding in and withdrawing the same.

Referring now to the drawings, I will describe the mechanism shown herein, although it is :to be understood thatl do notliniit inyseltqto the particular features of construction herein shown and described.

The machine is shown in the drawingsas having a stationary frame work 10, which 15 provided with bracketsflll by whichitis supported on dowels 12 carried bv an in taglio die press A, which is ordinarily fed. by hand; The frame rests'onv these brackets,

and its weight holds it against the press with no other support than that described.

The machine is provided with a main sha 13, receiving power through a sprocketwheel i l located upon it, from the main shaft of the press or from any other suitable source. This main. shaft" through a chain 15 and sprocket wheels 16 and 17, drives a parallel shaft 18 near the top oi. the frame which in turn is provided with a large sprocket wheel 19 and chain 20 driving a third'sh'att- 21 also parallel with the other. two.

The shaft 18 is provided with a crank 22' beyond the large sprocket wheel 19.. The crank operates a sliding rack 23 and, by means of a pinionfli, drives a sheet-separating device B to deliver sheets therefrom under its rubber-surfaced grooved roller25. This sheet-separating device is not described or illustrated in detail because is not a part of this invention, awell-known machine being shown.

The shaft 21, by means of a pair of gears 26, drives a shaft 27 located closely adjacentth'ereto, on which are a pair of rubber V i on the ried by swinging brackets 30 pivoted on the I of the frame They are connected w'th these feed'tapes 29. These rolls andthe shaft on which they are mounted are carshait 21 and 0 erhanging the same, so that they are held down against a pairot' idler rolls 31 on parallel shaft 310 by gravity.

"@n the shaft 21 is a pulley 32 wl ich, by means of a belt and puliey, drives another shaft 33, which is provided with rollers thereon for driving the series of endless feed tapes 29, on which the sheets are livered by the gravity rollers 28. hese feed tapes are located between a series of slats 35 mounted in stationary: position on stationary cross-bars whichconstitute part cross bars by adjusting and supportir screws36 and supportxidle rollers 23'? ca rying the tapes 29. These slats run beyondthe ends ofthe tapes to support the front endof the sheet in the registering position. The tapes may be made of any suitable material. Allgthe other mechanism of theme-- chine is operated by the three shafts 13,11? and 21. I j p I 0n the shaft 18 is an ei'id-register gage camAO whichin its complete rotation o cil-lates an arm 41 and a shaft 42 to which it is fixed, the arm being provided with a. roller 43 for engaging the cam; This shaft 42' is mounted in bearings on brackets 4A:

carriedby studs 440 on the frame liland has a pair ot arms 15 carrying a crossbar 16. T his is provided with an upwardly eX- tending arms 88 from which a spring 4? is connected with the shaft 18 so as normallr to hold up this cross bar 46 and the roller 43 yieldingly against the cam. The cross bar {i6 is provided with a plurality of sheet metal arms-39, which are upturned ,at theirv ends to guide,the sheets of paper under them and are spaced above the slats 35. theirouter ends, two of these arms are provided with .adjustable members 4:8 havin! downwardly extending hooked ends 49 constituting end for registering the sheets. It will be obvious that thccam i0 raises and lowers these end gages periodically.

The shaft 18 is also provided with a sideregister gage cam 50 arranged to engage a cam roller 52 on an arm 53 fixed to an oscillating rod 54; carried by brackets 51 on the frame- A spring 55 coiled on this rod holds the roller toward the cam. This rod is provided with two radial lined arms 56. which are connected by linlts57 with arms 58 ex tending from two vertically oscillatingrods 59 carried by brackets 60 on the frame. The bottom ends of these rods 59 are bent into horizontal position, and their ends are bent inwardly to form side registering 61. It will beobvious that the continued rotation of the cam 50 periodically moves these side gages simultaneously inwardly to register the paper sidewise.

against the cam, 71 in all positio I tracks.

The grippers which first grip the sheet and take it from the tapes w ll be described later-on as thev constitute oart ot'a mech- 9 .1 .L anism which I will describe as a whole.

On theinain Shaft 13 is acarriage operate 'ing crank62, which is pivotally connected upon it a cam 71 provided with a COHCGTP trio surface for engaging a roller 72 on a This stud is carried by a pair of a frame pivoted on a with it and stud 78. links 74- const I crossrodi'io. This stud 73 is provic a rod 76 projecting radially from hevi a spring upon it pressing stud 7G. ()n'the opposite side or the rod has nuts tending to keep the parts. This rod is fixed to, mid cons tutes partloi, aframe 77 which is piv on arod 78 carried bythe main frame 1 At its lower enih the two sides of this are connected with a 1 of linlrsifipvr are pivotally connected with two uprights 82 of a carriage 80 that slides on, horizontal ways 81 supported i the machine frame. This carriage is pro-i V -d with two pairs oi uprights 82 and carrying tour supports 83 that ride on these tracks. The rear ports are pivoted and .tl'ie iront ones i it the end ofthe carriage toward thes l heetseparating device, two of these u studs er extending under the vent this end of the frame it it will be crank 62 At the end of this or 'ria press. two of the uprights wardl the bottom near the tront. and to the i are riveted two in ing a horizontal skeleton supportin 86 for supporting the sheet its motion. These uprigh V trensve. shaft 87 to wl'ch spring n8 is connected that is also connected with pin or screw 89 on one of a pair of arms 90 pi? oted to the carriage near the rear end oi" the same to assist in lifting theseerms. The two arms are also connected with this sh I by two pairs-oi? toggle levers 91. so th v necessarily move together. Cm the end of these arms they-ire provided with inwardly projecting plates 92 having rubber studs 9?- upon them, These are adapted to ,7 closing. g

On the shaft 13 there is a carriage liftwith the arm 96 through a spring 99 that keeps these two arms as near together a." possible under its impulse. The shaft 78, is also provided with an arm 100 which has a headed stud 101 upon itthat is perforated stop its continued motion forward, which at this time isnot controlled positively but is V ea'u'sedby the operationof the tapes 20 on to receive a rod 102 pivoted at its lower end to an arm 103 on the shaft 87 to which the toggle levers are fixed. This rod is provided with two pins 10 1 above and below the stud and consequently is operated by the oscillation of this shaft toward the end of its motion in each direction, but is not operated by it at all through the intermediate part of its motion. This results in bringing the toggle levers down so asto hold the gucippers 93 locked in their'gripping position as the toggle joints are turned slightly beyond their straight position against stops 105. At the other end of its motion it pulls them back suddenly to fully-open-position and they are held. there against accidental ing cam-106 whichoperates a spring-pressed arm 107 on a shaft 108 which, by means of arm and link 109, operates an oscillating frame 110 pivotedon a'rod210. This frame is provided with. two inwardly extending pins, 111 for the purpose of engaging in notches 112 on the uprights 85 and moving the reciprocating carriage transversely about the pivots Ofthe rear supports 83 to bring the paper carried thereby into proper position in the press A to which the invention is applied and allow it to move up ahead of the die a, to prevent the soiling of the sheets.

The operation of the machine is as follows :-Starting with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the rack 23 rises as the shaft 18 turns in the direction of the arrow and causes the feed roll. 25 to feed the rear sheet of paper C out of the separatingdevice under the rolls 28. The carriage 80 at this time goes to the extreme end of its stroke as indicated iii-Fig. 2. butlet it be assumed that it does not carry a sheet as the machine is supposed to be just starting.

The continued rotation of the main shaft causesthe sheet C to continue to feed out as the carriage starts back. The sheet having reached aposition nearly under the. front gages 49. these are lowered bythe action of the cam 10 and the sheet C is end registered. These front or end gages engage its end and which it rests. "It is stopped atthis point, therefore, and all sheets coming into this position are thus brought to a definite position at this time. 5

As the main shaft continues to rotate the carriage comes back, and when its end uprights .85 have passed back of the side ra es 61 the e-am 50 acts to bring them in from the position shown in Fig. r so as to register the sheet at both sides and get it intoa central-position. As soon as this is aecoinplished, theCarriageSO now being in its extremeposition at this end of the stroke,

the gripper Gain 9% acts-to straighten' out the toggle levers 91 and bring the feeding grippers 98 down into contact with the sheet and grip it to the flat frame 86 at a dis tance from its edges. Then the cam 10 raises the end gages, and the side gages draw back. The crank 62 on the shaft 13 nowoperates to pull down on the rod 63, positively moving the bell-crank 6569. and causes the cam 71to'positively push the swinging arms 7'7 toward'the press and take the carriage with it, also of course taking the sheet C. It is just at this instant that the next sheet G starts out of the sheet separating device. S e

Continuing this motion, the parts come to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the first sheet C enters the press ready to receive the impression and the second sheet 0 gets well started out undertherolls 28. Just before the cam. 71 turns so as to allow the roll 72 to drop from the high part of it, the uprights come to their extreme posi: tion so that the pins lllventer the notches 112 therein. This is shown in Fig. 2. Just at that instant the cam 106 pushes its cam roller out to the extreme end of its stroke and raises the frame 1.10 which carries the pins 111, thuslifting the end of the carriage about the pivots with which it is connected with the supports 83. Thus the sheet moves up against the counter a just before the impression is made int-he press. I Vhile the parts are in this position the second sheet C moves almost entirely out of the sheetseparating mechanism. and after the die moves away from the sheet the cam 94 comes around to a position to allow the spring .99 to pullthe arm 100 up and thus draw up the rod 102 and break the togglesso as to raise "the feeding in grippers and release ciple now used in hand fee ding this class or.

machines is retained, namely, that one sheet is being fed into the press while another is b6111 wlthdrawn' that the sheets are re erly registered and'positively gripped before the impression is made and the grip retained until impression is completed; that the rise'ofthe die in making the impression i in this type of die press is accommodated automaticall b liftin r the carriage; Fur

. t3 i Q 'thermore a machineis provided in which the sheets'are kept separate at all times, in

which the feeding grippers positivelysnap on or off and remain locked in either position, in which the supports for the sheets are separated at the time of impression so as to allow the rear end of the sheet todrop down to a point at which it can be delivered any desired kind of delivery. v

It will be seen that this machine canjbe applied permanently to a die press as shown,

although shown as detachably. connected, and that it is so connectedwith it that it can serve as a linkin an entirelyv mechani-: cal plant in which the sheets are fed to the press, delivered, and then stacked up without hand operation of any kind. 1 I

Although I have illustrated and described a single form of the machine and shown it as adapted for a die-press of a particular type, I am aware of the fact that-many modifications can be made in'the construe tion and arrangement of parts, and that it will be-designed differently when applied to die presses of other constructions. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in these I respects, but what I do claim is:

1. The combination with a die press, of

means for conveying sheets, means for side andend registering the sheets, means for positively gripping the sheets after being registered and then advancing them to the press, means operated from .the press-for operating the registering, conveying, and

gripping means, and means for moving transversely the conveying and gripping 7 means. V V V 2. In a machlne of the character described,

the combination with a die press, of a .mov able paper feeding carriage havingv a frame for transferring the sheet to the press in position-for impression and leaving it with the rear portion of the sheet that is not to be printedextending therefrom in position to be engaged by a delivering means, and means for moving the carriage back toward receiving'position after the impression is made and the sheet released and. while said stationary means for supporting V projecting part of thesheet remains in the position setforthf I 3, ln an automatlc feedlng machine fora die press, the combination of a feed table having means for holdinga sheet in register and having a finedposltion with relation to spaceoccupieo when the impression is made, with means forpositively transe ferring the sheet horizontally all the way from the feed table to the printing position on the press, so arranged with relation to each other that thej'feed tahle and trans- I ferring means cooperateto leave the sheet 111 a horizontal printing position with the end projecting from the plane of the, main portionof the sheet so as to be easily removed y delivery mechanism.

The combination with adie press, of

7 means for conveying sheets toward the press a straight line, means for side and end registering the sheets during their travel, means for positively gripping the sheets and advancing them to the pressfmeans for withdrawing the side register gages sidewise, means for withdrawing the end register gages, means operated from the press for running the registering, conveying, and gripping means, and means for moving transversely the conveying andagripping means when a sheet is presented to the press.

5. The combination of means forregistering the sheets, meansfor positively gripping them at a distance from their edgesand advancing the slieets, means for operating he, gripping means to locate the sheets in the press as the impression is made, and V V the sheets until they are gripped." w

6. The combination with a die press, of neans for conveying sheets, means'for posi- I tively gripping the sheets and advancing the sheets to press, means for moving the gripping means to change theelevation of the sheets in the press as the impression is made, and stationary means forsupporting the sheets until they are gripped, the advancing means having a supporting frame for the sheets after they are gripped and adaptedto hold the forward ends of the sheets. i I

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means operated to move the sheets along, a carriage movable over said means, means for movingsaid carriage forward to feed the sheets, and a sheet supporting frame adapted to. holdupthe front end of slicetmovable'with the carscribed, the combination of a feeding device for feeding sheets forward, a carriage reciprocable over saiddeviceand having grippers thereon for gripping a sheet at a distance from the edges and moving it there from with the carriage, a track for snpport- 7 ing the carriage, a shaft, a cam on saidshait,

means for transmitting motion from the cam, a bell-crank construction operated by;

the cam and a side gage connected with the bell-crank to he movedthereby.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a feeding device for feedingsheets forward, a carriage reciprocable over said device and having grippers thereon for gripping a sheet and moving it therefrom with the carriage, a track a formed of two members on opposite sides of said feeding device for supporting the car riage, a shaft, a cam on said shaft, an oscil' latable rodparallel with the shaft having means thereon for transmittingmotion from the cam thereto to oscillate it, said rod havan arm, .a' bellcrank construction con nected with and operated by the arm, and a sidegage connected with the bell-crank to be moved thereby; i

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carriage, grippers for gripping a sheetand moving itwith the carriage, a track for supporting the carriage, a shaft, a cam on said shaft,

an arm, a pair of members having their rear ends rip-turned tot guide a sheet of paper beneath them, endgages, and means for lifting said end gages.

In a machine of the character de scribed, the combmation of a feedlng device for feeding sheets forward, a carriage 1'eci rocable over said OlGVJCB, grippers for gripping a sheet and moving it with the carriage, a track for supporting the carriage, a shaft, a cam on said shaft, an oscillatable rod parallel with said shaft having an arm fixed thereon adapted to be operated by the cam, a bar parallel with said rod and fixed thereto to move therewith, a pair of members located on and movablewith said bar and arranged longitudinally having their rear ends upturned to guide a sheet of paper beneath them, end gages mounted on the ends of said bars, and avspring for liftin said end a es and b i b C pendent or turning said toggle 1o1nt to open and closed holding the arm in contact with the cam; 14, In a machine ofthe characterdescribed, the combination of a carriage having grippers thereon for gripping a sheet, means for moving said carriage'forward to feed the sheets, a shaft, a bell-crank construction operated by said shaft having a, cam, an osclllatable frame provided with a roller which said cam engages to oscillate the frame, and a spring; holding the roller away from the low part ofthe cam, said carriage being connected with said oscillatable frame to be operated thereby.

15. In a machine of the characterde V scribed, the combination of a sheet supporting device, a carriage movable. over said supporting device and having grippers thereonfor gripping a sheet supported thereby, means for moving said carriage forward to feed the sheets oil the supportingdevice, a shaft, ,acrank thereon, abellcrank. construction operated by said crank having a cam, a rod connected thereto. said cam having a high concentric portion, an oscillatable frame provided with a roller which said cam engages to oscillate the frame, and a springonsaid rod holding the roller awayfrom the low part of the cam, said carriage being connected with said 'oscilla'table frame to be operated rthereby.

16. In a,machine for the character described, the COIIlblnfltlOIl Wltll a feeding devicefor the sheets, of a pair of tracks arranged adjacent thereto, a carriage mounted to. move on said tracks, an oscillatable frame,means connected withsaid frame for reciprocating the carriage onits tracks, a pairof toggle levers. mounted on said carriage having a gripper, and means inder e the carriage operating means for position. 7

17.111 a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a carriage, a p air'of toggle levers mounted: on said carriage having a gripper, a shaft having a caman oscillatable arm, a'parallel shaft havingan arm fixed thereto, a spring connected with both arms and adapted to pull thearms together and holdrthe first named arm against its cam, a link alsopconnecting said arms, and means connected with the second shaft for operating the toggle joint independently of the carriage.

18. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a feeding de vice for the sheets, a pair oftracks arranged adjacent thereto, a carriage mounted to move on said tracks, an oscillatable frame, means for oscillating said frame, pivots on said carriage connected with said frame for reciprocating the carriage on its tracks, a pair of toggle levers mounted on said carriage having a gripper, a shaft having a cam,

. shaft for operating an osillatable arm, a parallel shaft having an arm fix d thereto, a spring connected with botharms and adapted to pull the arms together and hold the first named arm againstits cam, a linlralso connecting said arms,-and means connected with tie second the toggle join independently of the carriage. 3

195In a machine of the character described,the combination with a feeding device for the sheets, an oscillatahle frame, means for oscillating said frame, means connected with said frame for reciprocating the carriage on its tracks, two pairs of toggle levers mounted on said carriage having grippers at their ends, a shaft having a cam, an oscillatable arm, a parallel shaft having arm fixed thereto and connected with the first namedarm by a-spring adapted to pull the arms together and hold the first named arm against its earn, a hnlr-also connecting said arms, another arm on the second-shaft having a perforated stud, a rod slidable ed with said frame-for reci arocatin thecan' riage on its tracks, a pair of toggle levers mounted on said carriage having a gripper,

means independent otthe carriageoperating means for operating said toggle levers to open and closed POSltlOll, and means ior swinging said carriage upwardly about said pivots at the end of its stroke to raise the sheet in the press while the sheet is held by the grippers and supported by the carriage.

21. In t machine of the: character described, thecombination' with a die press and a feeding device for the sheets, of a carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage, a pair of toggle levers mounted on said carriage having a gripper, means for operatingsaid toggle' levers to open and closed position, and means for swinging said carriage at the end "of'its stroke to change the elevation of the sheet in the press while the sheet is held by the grippers and supported by the earr1age; 1 Z a 1 22. In a machine of the character described,the combination with a die press, of a pair or" tracks,;a carriage mounted to slide toward and fromthe press on said tracks, said carriage having a; pair of uprights at its and most remote fromthe press, supports pivoted to said uprights and resting on the means for turning the front end of the carriage about the pivoted supports at theop- 23. l n a'niaehineof the "character des; a pair of tracks, a carriage mounted to slide toward and from the press on'said tracks, supports pivoted to'said carriage and restthe tracks, means on the carriage for t means onthe carriage for gripping a I sneet and moving 1t with the carriage, and

cod, the combination with a die press, of

grip mg a sheet and moving it with the car- '1 s, a movable frame having a projecting said carriage having a notch'in the end thereof adapted to engage said pin when the moves forward, and means for raisframe to move the pin and end or iage upwardly;

scribed, the combination of a paper feeding c e having'a frameat its forward end iorting the front end of a sheet, said being open at the rear and being t ed toailowtherear endof the sheet to ihe combination with a dieprinting or or. a paper teeding carnage therefor .i'rame for supporting the front end e bya delivering means. 5. m

of a sheet, said frame being open at the rear" so as allow :thecrear end 01" the sheet to pro ect from it when the sheet is in the press operating delivering means.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoafiixed iny signature.

JO N E. WOODBURY.

.1111 a machine of thecharacter dedown from'it' into position tobe re in position to be engaged by a transversely 

